No generic advice. Just real life insights based on 6+ years experience of building a coaching business.
[Outreach series part #3]: Underrated strategies to generate leads
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When it comes to generating leads for your coaching business, you probably think of:
All great ways of course. But there are so many more ways that are often overlooked. So today I’m sharing some underrated ways of creating clients (All tried and tested!). Underrated but effective cold lead strategies1. Free Workshops for Professional Groups One of the easiest ways to generate leads. Host a virtual or in-person workshop for a professional organisation for free. Some organisations I’ve delivered to in the past:
Deliver immense value. Build trust. Then offer a free coaching call to your audience. It positions you as the expert and gives your audience a taste of what you can do. The best part about this is that if your audience appreciates you, you can come back again and again for new leads. 2. Speak at Conferences or Live Events Similar to above, this one works well. Best move? Attend events first. Build a relationship with the organiser. Then pitch yourself to speak at future ones. You can also find organisers on LinkedIn and build rapport the same way you would with potential clients. 3. Host Your Own Events (Virtual Works Too) Set up a webinar or workshop and list it on Eventbrite or LinkedIn Live. A former client of mine recently tried this and had 74 registrations to an event about making business processes more efficient - He had no contact with any of them beforehand! It’s easier than you think, and it creates a reason for people to engage with you. No awkward cold DMs needed. When people show up voluntarily, they’re already warmer than you think. 4. Google Business Profile (and Bing/Apple) Local lead goldmine. Google Maps/Apple Maps/Bing Maps don't cost you a penny but set you up for local people searching for a coach. Most coaches overlook this because it feels “too local.” But if your ideal client is nearby, it’s low-effort visibility that compounds when you add more reviews to your profile. After 2 years of listing, I was receiving 4-10 calls a month. I’ve landed discovery calls this way with zero ad spend. Note: You need a fixed location to activate your account. So if you don’t want to use your home address, you will need to subscribe to a virtual office. But before you do that, check with them that your listing will be approved if you list your business there. If too many people have listed the same office, Google/Apple/Bing won't allow you to list it. 5. Attend Personal Development Events Where Your Clients Learn Massively underrated. Networking events are tricky because everyone is there expecting to be sold to. But when you sign up for a course/event, you are there to learn, which allows you to build organic relationships with your potential clients. You learn together. You talk over lunch. You build real relationships, which turn into clients. I paid £12,000 for an executive education course in 2023 and generated 3 x the investment through new clients. Bonus: Ask the course provider if you can deliver a free workshop to current/former participants! Notice the theme? The best leads come from being in the right room and starting real conversations. Free workshops. Speaking gigs. Live events. Learning alongside your potential clients. I’m not knocking content creation and lead magnets. But if you want to try something different, these ideas might help you create clients like they did for me. What’s the most underrated way you’ve landed a client? Let me know! Talk soon, Mohammed
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Metamophosis
No generic advice. Just real life insights based on 6+ years experience of building a coaching business.
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